Martin 'to campaign for householders'

Tony Martin wants to campaign to protect householders

Jailed farmer Tony Martin wants to support householders who defend themselves against intruders.

Martin also wants to campaign against burglars getting legal aid to sue for compensation if they are injured during a break-in, his MP says.

North West Norfolk MP Henry Bellingham met Martin at Highpoint Prison in Suffolk on Friday to discuss how to bring about changes to the law.

Martin, 58, is due to leave prison on 28 July, having served two-thirds of his sentence for the manslaughter of 16-year-old Fred Barras who was shot during a burglary at Martin's farmhouse.

Burglar Brendon Fearon, who was wounded in the 1999 robbery at Emneth Hungate, is currently suing the farmer for £15,000 compensation for his injuries.

Brendon Fearon intends to sue over his injuries

After meeting Martin, Henry Bellingham said "We are totally at one on this.

"He feels very strongly there should be a campaign first of all to get legal aid changed, whereby burglars and intruders can't get legal aid to sue for damages against householders whose houses they had broken in to."

Mr Bellingham said the second campaign related to the rights of householders.

"We feel the law is being weighted against the householder and there is a presumption against the householder."

Martin was originally jailed for life after being convicted of murder in April 2000, but the Court of Appeal later reduced the conviction to manslaughter.